Give It Food
During the growing season, the bougainvillea will benefit from a bit of fertilizer to help strengthen the plant and encourage blooms.
Feed bougainvillea growing in the ground with a balanced slow-release granular fertilizer. For bougainvillea growing in pots, choose a liquid fertilizer and apply at half its strength.
A good general rule of thumb is to apply the fertilizer once a month during the plant’s growing season, which starts in the spring and continues to midsummer.
Do Some Pruning and Some Pinching
Pruning and pinching the bougainvillea will help to get the plant producing more branches, and thus more blooms. Most bougainvillea do well with regular pruning. If, however, you want to aggressively prune the plant to decrease its size, make sure to wait until the plant has finished blooming, which is typically in late fall.
After this time, refrain from pruning again until after the last frost in spring, but before the plant starts to produce new buds.
Pruning Tip: To encourage growth at the top of the plant, cut off suckers forming at the base of the plant.
The Size of the Pot is Important
For bougainvillea growing in a container, the size of that pot can have a major impact on whether or not the plant blooms.
For most plants, growing in a larger pot is usually better than a smaller one, since too small of a pot can lead to it becoming root bound.
Bougainvilleas, however, are a bit different and actually produce more blooms when planted in pots where their roots are a little crowded.
If your bougainvillea is a smaller plant growing in a larger pot, consider repotting it in a container that is a bit smaller.
